You Can't Always Get What You Want (Taylor Hanson)

Chapter 1

~Chapter 1~

"What?! No way. I refuse!" 18-year-old Essence was hysterical.

"Honey, this was all arranged a long time ago, before you even knew who he was," her mother, Karen, said calmly from her seat at the dining room table of their rather poor house, "It will bring money for your father and I, which is definitely a bonus. We just thought we'd save you the trouble of finding a husband. Plus you'll live in luxury for the rest of your life. What a lucky girl you are Essence."

Essence looked at her mother in shock, "I don't care about money and certainly wouldn't marry anyone for that alone! If I cared so damn much about it, I don't know how I could have possibly grown up in what limited finds you have!"

"Now Essence, you know not to swear and I would think you'd be grateful," her father, Ben, reprimanded her.

"Grateful?! For your trying to control my life and who I'll marry? Grateful for thinking I'd still want to marry the guy who broke my heart after so many years by marrying a slut? Grateful for it taking a year and a half for me to get over him just so you could try to make me love him less than a year later? Yeah, I am so incredibly grateful!" she screamed, her voice oozing with sarcasm as she let her usually leashed temper go.

"Essence you will calm yourself this instant. Do you hear me?" her father yelled.

"Whatever you thought was love and a broken heart, wasn't. You couldn't possibly know. You haven't even ever met him," her mother said into the silence.

Essence gaped in disbelief at her, "I know how I felt. I know what I went through. And I don't give a damn if you or anyone for that matter, believe me or not. And I will not marry him. You can't make me so just get over that stupid idea!" she stormed off to her room before either of her parents could argue.

Karen sighed, rubbing her forehead where a migraine was starting, "This will be harder than I thought."

"Regardless, she will walk down that aisle next year after his divorce is finalized," Ben replied, leaning back in his chair.
~ * ~
Upstairs, Essence had finally let the tears fall, as she dialed her boyfriend of three months, Justin's phone number.
He answered on the third ring, "Hello?"

"Justin, this is Essence," she sobbed as she flung herself onto her bed.

"Hey baby, I was just thinking about you," then he recognized the tears in her voice, "What's got you upset sweetheart?"

"You know I love you right?" she said, almost desperately, "I'd never leave you no matter what."

"Of course honey, I know. I love you too," his concern grew at her words, "Tell me what's wrong."

Between tears she spilled out what happened and the problems that had arisen.

"But I don't want to be with him. I love you. So much," she had soaked her pillow by now with the tears streaming rapidly out of her dark brown eyes and off her cheeks.

He knew all about how she used to love Taylor and how eventually she had gotten over him. He also knew she loved him now and would never have the same feelings for the Hanson dude again, "It's okay baby. I believe you. We'll get through this. Everything will work out," he also loved her, way too much to ever giver her up. And he sure as hell wouldn't let this guy have her, especially after how bad his actions had hurt her in the past.

"How about I come pick you up and we'll go out to our place? We can be together and work this through, okay?"

Her hopes lifted a little at his words, "Okay. I'll see you in a bit."